Sand Serpent was a Wild Mouse roller coaster located at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida . The ride originally operated at sister park Busch Gardens Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia as Wild Izzy in 1996 and later as Wilde Maus from 1997 to 2003. When the roller coaster was relocated to Florida, it was renamed Cheetah Chase from 2004 to 2011 before receiving its last name change.
37-466: Cheetah Hunt is a steel launched roller coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida . The roller coaster was manufactured by Intamin and designed in collaboration with Mark Rose. Cheetah Hunt opened to the public on May 27, 2011, alongside a cheetah exhibit called Cheetah Run. Cheetah Hunt features three linear synchronous motor (LSM) launches and a single inversion. The roller coaster reaches
74-473: A 144.3 feet (44.0 m) by 62.3 feet (19.0 m) area. The roller coaster operates with single cars that navigated the layout. The four riders per car are arranged in two rows with two seats across each. Unlike similar Wild Mouse roller coasters produced by Mack Rides, the Sand Serpent model did not feature dips in the track prior to the brake run. The car exited the station into a left turn and entered
111-403: A 220-foot (67 m) dirt track and educational touch screen panels. Cheetah Run encompasses an area of 11,000 square feet (1,000 m) and houses rockwork, a waterfall, and grassland among areas of a ruined temple. The cheetahs are housed within the old stable building. In February 2011, five cheetahs arrived on site in preparation for the opening of the exhibit. The cheetahs originated from
148-464: A Windcatcher Tower). Riders weave through a series of helixes before dropping 130 feet (40 m) into a trench, then proceed over a direction-changing airtime hill crossing over the Skyride, before completing the ride's only inversion, a heartline roll . Upon exiting the barrel-roll and its subsequent brake run , the ride remains low to the ground and goes through a series of short banked turns through
185-622: A height of 102 feet (31 m), with a maximum speed of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) and a total track length of 4,429 feet (1,350 m). Cheetah Hunt is located in the Edge of Africa section of the park and navigates through the Serengeti Plain section. The Cheetah Run exhibit replaced the Budweiser Clydesdales stable area with an 11,000-square-foot (1,000 m) space and a 220-foot (67 m) sprint track. The roller coaster utilizes
222-507: A maximum of 4.0 g-forces to its riders. On February 12, 2014, one of the trains, loaded with 16 passengers, stopped between the first and second launch on the roller coaster's banked crest. Park officials attempted to move the train backwards onto the launch platform but failed. The Tampa Fire Rescue Department was called thereafter to rescue the passengers with a cherry picker and a ladder during inclement weather. All passengers were rescued without injury. The roller coaster remained closed
259-536: A musician present, had described the roller coaster jokingly "not for tall people", as the force banged up his knees. Other guests during its opening stated that it was "scarier than you might think", relating it with that of the steel roller coaster Drachen Fire . In covering the state of Virginia 's amusement parks, writers of The Star Democrat had described it as "distinctly different" from others because of its "jerky turns and quick dips" that would appeal to everyone. With its relocation to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay,
296-469: A rock fixture simulating several "near misses". This leads the ride into its third and final launch, which accelerates riders to a speed of 40 miles per hour (64 km/h) to navigate its way back to the station. During the journey back, there are more airtime and direction-changing hills before the final brake run. Cheetah Hunt was originally termed within the Crown Colony Plaza area of the park, now
333-442: Is 4,429 feet (1,350 m) long. Each train is colored yellow with cheetah print , with the front piece of the train designed to appear as a cheetah's head. Cheetah Hunt operates with five trains, each with four cars that are arranged two across in two rows, allowing for 16 riders per train. The station allows for two trains to be loaded at the same time. Each seat has an over-the-shoulder restraint. Each train on Cheetah Hunt exerts
370-487: Is a type of roller coaster classified by its steel track , which consists of long steel tubes that are run in pairs, supported by larger steel columns or beams. Trains running along the track typically rely on wheels made of polyurethane or nylon to keep each train car anchored to the track. The introduction of tubular steel drastically changed roller coaster innovation, allowing for greater speeds, higher drops, and more intense elements such as inversions . Arrow Dynamics
407-437: Is colored green with the supports colored gold to reflect the habitat of the cheetahs in the section of the park. The ride's station is located in the former monorail station that was decommissioned in the 1990s and is housed within the same building that is occupied by the Skyride. The station features a two-train loading system. Cheetah Hunt is one of two roller coasters that feature a Windcatcher Tower element. The track of
SECTION 10
#1732855942625444-756: Is credited with inventing tubular steel track and introducing the first modern steel coaster with the opening of Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland in 1959. Older steel-tracked coasters existed previously in a simpler form, such as Little Dipper at Memphis Kiddie Park in Brooklyn, Ohio , which is the oldest operating steel coaster in North America. The oldest in the world is Montaña Suiza at Parque de Atracciones Monte Igueldo (Spain), which has been operating since 1928. There are various types of steel coaster models and designs, including flying , inverted , floorless , and suspended . Cheetah Chase Sand Serpent
481-506: Is themed to a collapsed temple . Cheetah Hunt covers 13 acres (5.3 ha) of land within Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. To go alongside Cheetah Hunt, the park opened an animal exhibit called Cheetah Run that replaced the Budweiser Clydesdales interaction area. The exhibit is located adjacent to the roller coaster's main launch sequence. The exhibit features glass-paneled viewing areas which allow visitors to watch cheetahs sprint across
518-529: The Orlando Sentinel positively highlighted the scenic tower, winding maneuvers, and low curves that were akin to slalom skiing . Bevil complimented the ride running smoothly with comfortable over-the-shoulder harnesses, overall stating it "isn't an extreme coaster, but definitely a fun one". Staff of Attractions Magazine praised the roller coaster's combination of launches, airtime, and "zig-zag motion". Steel roller coaster A steel roller coaster
555-504: The White Oak Conservation Center located near Jacksonville, Florida , and South Africa . During construction of the habitat, the cheetahs were accommodated to various sounds that would surround their enclosure. Cheetah Run opened with the roller coaster on May 27, 2011, with 14 cheetahs. Cheetah Hunt is an Intamin steel launched roller coaster manufactured by Intamin's United States distributor, Intaride LLC. The track
592-481: The 45.9 foot (14.0 m) tall lift hill . Following the lift, the car descended downward and went into a series of 180-degree turns that run parallel to each other. After the series of turns, the car made a wider continuous downward turn until it straightened out. The car then headed forward into a hill and two tight left turns. Thereafter the car dipped downward and ascended another hill where it takes another two left turns. The car then descended into another drop where
629-483: The Edge of Africa section. The roller coaster is inspired by the general species of cheetah. The themed area features a mixture of concrete and driftwood cheetah statues and a large rock-shaped cheetah located within the queue area. The themed land surrounding both roller coaster and exhibit uses a mix of architectural styles inspired by three of the park's themed lands: Africa, Egypt, and Morocco. The roller coaster's queue area
666-572: The Timbuktu section of the park in 1980. In 2011, the ride was rethemed from Cheetah Chase to Sand Serpent. This was done to reduce confusion with the park's new attraction, Cheetah Hunt . The roller coaster is situated in the Pantopia section of the park, which was renamed with the introduction of Falcon's Fury , the park's signature drop tower. Busch Gardens announced in June 2023 that Sand Serpent would close
703-406: The day after the incident for inspection by park maintenance. After the original name was changed upon the roller coaster's announcement, some theme park enthusiasts criticized the change, saying that "Cheetah Hunt" did not fit the roller coaster and pressing Busch Gardens to revert the name back to "Cheetaka". However, Busch Gardens responded saying that the name would not be changed. Cheetah Hunt
740-399: The design to include a linear synchronous motor (LSM) system. Bolliger & Mabillard , among other manufacturers, were considered for the latter attraction, with Intamin ultimately being chosen because of the manufacturer's technology development and the park's expectations. In the early planning and construction stages, the roller coaster was initially called "Cheetaka", as a trademark
777-495: The former Budweiser Clydesdales stables to reroute foot traffic. By November, vertical construction began and some supports for the ride were already in place. By mid-December, the supports for the 102-foot-tall (31 m) figure 8 element were complete with some pieces of track also installed, including the first launch section being complete. The park announced on February 17 that the attraction would open in late May. The roller coaster's trains arrived on February 28. Track work for
SECTION 20
#1732855942625814-511: The former monorail station and Rhino Rally water section for its track. Upon opening, Cheetah Hunt received positive acclaim from the public, and ranked as the 2nd Best New Ride of 2011 by the Golden Ticket Awards . The roller coaster, later to be known as Cheetah Hunt, took seven years from conceptualization to completion. Cheetah Hunt was designed by Mark Rose, vice president of design and engineering at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay . Rose
851-406: The next month for a new family inverted roller coaster named Phoenix Rising . Sand Serpent closed on July 9, 2023. Phoenix Rising subsequently opened on July 21, 2024. Sand Serpent was a stock Wild Mouse roller coaster model manufactured by Mack Rides and designed by Werner Stengel . Specifically, the ride model was the "Wild Maus", and the "Compact Mobile" version. Originally, the track
888-471: The roller coaster extends into the Serengeti Plain section of the park, and into the defunct water canyon section of Rhino Rally. Four trenches were constructed for Cheetah Hunt to traverse under the Serengeti Plain as well as a pedestrian bridge. In addition, the track traverses over the Skyride gondolas. The maintenance bay for the roller coaster is located on a lower level of the building. The steel track
925-591: The roller coaster was announced to open in April. Wild Izzy officially opened on April 12. After the 1996 season, it was given a European theme and renamed to Wilde Maus. In November 2003, filings by the park for a new attraction were uncovered in James City County that would replace the Wilde Maus roller coaster. After seven years of operation at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, the roller coaster closed in 2003 where it
962-423: The roller coaster was completed on March 14. It was observed that the park was completing "walk-through tests" on the track, a measure to ensure the trains could safely clear obstacles, in late March. Testing began for the roller coaster with water dummies in late April. Cheetah Hunt opened to the public on May 27. Another roller coaster in the park, Cheetah Chase , was renamed Sand Serpent to reduce confusion between
999-457: The roller coaster's track on September 10. The construction of the foundations was completed in October 2010. The day prior to the announcement of the ride on October 12, a second trademark was filed under the name of "Cheetah Hunt". Cheetah Hunt was officially announced on October 13, alongside a new "Cheetah Run" habitat. Temporary pathways were erected during the construction of Cheetah Hunt behind
1036-478: The train headed upward into two tight left turns. Following the turn, the car descended into a hill and into the final brake run where it made a final left turn into the station. One cycle of the roller coaster took around two minutes to complete. Upon its original opening at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, the roller coaster was generally well received by the public. In the Daily Press ' coverage, Michael McCary ,
1073-435: The transportation gondola, Skyride , was closed for the rumored attraction. During that month, the park launched a teaser campaign revealing details of the attraction. The campaign featured a website that showcased videos describing the attraction's main characteristics, updates from park officials, and cutscenes of the ride's point-of-view shot video from June to August. The park released a photo on its social media account of
1110-399: The two roller coasters. The ride begins with a 30-mile-per-hour (48 km/h) linear synchronous motor (LSM) launch out of the station and around a wide left turn followed by a gradual dip before approaching the second launch. The second launch accelerates riders to their top speed of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) before climbing a 102-foot (31 m) figure-eight element (also known as
1147-582: Was filed on April 18, 2010, for the name by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment , parent company of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. After the park realized that the name was too hard to pronounce and didn't describe the ride, the trademark was abandoned. Construction walls and survey stakes were observed in April 2010 within the Edge of Africa section, with the Serengeti Express closed to reposition railroad track. Trenches were beginning to be dug out in May, and by June,
Cheetah Hunt - Misplaced Pages Continue
1184-461: Was green and had yellow supports, with each car featuring colors from the Olympic rings along with lightning bolts and stars. The last iteration featured blue track and orange supports, with the cars variously colored solid blue, orange, or red. Sand Serpent reached a maximum speed of 28 miles per hour (45 km/h), with the track having a total length of 1,213.9 feet (370.0 m), and encompassed
1221-533: Was inspired by a scene in the Star Wars film Return of the Jedi where the protagonists navigated the forests of Endor on speeder bikes . The attraction was also inspired by SeaWorld Orlando 's roller coaster Manta with its combination of animal habitat and attraction. Rose initially thought of using a lift hill to reach the speed he wanted, but after realizing the height of the lift would be too tall, he incorporated
1258-402: Was manufactured by Mack Rides and designed by Werner Stengel . The roller coaster reached a maximum height of 45.9 feet (14.0 m), with a maximum speed of 28 miles per hour (45 km/h), and a total length of 1,213.9 feet (370.0 m). Upon opening at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, the roller coaster was received generally well by the public, though its relocation at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
1295-580: Was minimally covered. In December 1995, Busch Gardens Williamsburg announced Wild Izzy, a Mack Rides Wild Mouse roller coaster , would be added to the park for the 1996 season in the Oktoberfest section. It was named after the mascot of the 1996 Summer Olympics , since Busch Gardens was a sponsor of the games. Originally in January, it was reported that Wild Izzy would open later in March. Though in March,
1332-490: Was mostly well-received by the public and critics. Sean Daly from the Tampa Bay Times said that Cheetah Hunt is not that scary and compared it to SheiKra and Montu . He was also surprised that, despite "three head-snapping launches", the ride was "curiously slow" at times, though he still praised the final launch stating, "[It] sends you over a seemingly small parabola, a stomach-flipping surprise ending." Dewayne Bevil of
1369-464: Was removed and replaced with the defunct dark ride , Curse of DarKastle in 2005. In December 2003, the St. Petersburg Times reported that the Wilde Maus would be shipped to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in January 2004 and be renamed to Cheetah Chase. The roller coaster opened on February 28, in the Timbuktu section of the park. Cheetah Chase replaced the defunct Crazy Camel flat ride that opened up with
#624375